The Gazette's campaign against the misuse of air weapons was due to be taken straight to the Home Secretary today.

Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell was due to spell out to David Blunkett details of the Ban Young Guns campaign in a meeting today.

The drive has already paid dividends in airgun hotspot East Cleveland, where a day-old police amnesty will lead to seven weapons off the streets by the end of today.

And more than 1,200 people have now put their names behind our campaign, swamping the Gazette office with their signed petition forms.

The campaign calls for a ban on ownership of airguns for under-18s, as well as tighter controls on the use of the deadly weapons and the purchase of ammunition.

Middlesbrough Council is also behind the campaign and Mr Bell was today due to give the Home Secretary a resolution from the local authority calling for the review of the use of airguns.

Mr Bell said: "Since the Government are committed to reviewing controls on firearms, this would be a sensible time to not only review the use of air rifles in urban areas but also move to an outright ban on their possession and use for those under 18."

The resolution - moved by executive member for law and order Barry Coppinger and unanimously passed by the council - also calls for stricter advertising guidelines for airguns and ammunition.

Meanwhile, PC Eddie O'Hara, of Loftus community police, has already hailed their 12-day weapons amnesty a success after a productive first 24 hours. Two starting guns, one air pistol and two illegal knives are now in at Loftus Police Station.

Officers are also due to collect two old handguns from an elderly resident, who got in touch with the station after reading about the amnesty in the Gazette.

"This gentleman could have been burgled and those weapons would have been stolen and lost for ever," said PC O'Hara.

"We have quite a lethal collection - if we get no more weapons handed in at least we have taken some from circulation."

But his message to people with airguns at home remains the same: "If you've got the guns, get them handed in."

And he said they were about to kick off the other approaches of the campaign - insisting offenders would now be shown no mercy.